Justin Hansen attacked in Las Cruces prison while serving sentence

Convicted felon Justin Hansen was battered by an inmate at the Las Cruces prison, video shows. The incident occurred during an 18-year term for beating a teenager with a shovel.

The incident happened on Nov. 26. Hansen had arrived at the facility one week earlier.

Video shows an inmate swing at the head of Hansen. The two men fell directly to the ground.

An older inmate tried to intervene. Another prisoner warned that man to back away or face violence.

Hansen received severe facial trauma. New Mexico State Police arrived to question him.

“When I first looked in the mirror I thought, ‘Oh man. I didn’t even want to look in the mirror,” said Hansen in the interview.

Hansen had transferred to Las Cruces from the Los Lunas prison. He told investigators he had not seen daylight until that yard walk.

He approached an older inmate to return thanks for a loaned reading book. He stated someone struck him from behind.

State Police identified Marcos Gonzalez Cordova as the assailant. Cordova serves time for armed robbery and aggravated fleeing an officer.

Recorded footage shows Cordova outside in the gated area first. He stepped indoors briefly to observe whether guards were near.

Officers questioned Hansen about the reason behind the assault. He denied knowing the identity of the person who struck him.

Investigators pressed him for details. Hansen said he only possessed information based on prison rumors.

“That it was Burque boys that did it, was kind of they think it was orchestrated,” Hansen said.

A State Police report noted inmate interviews indicated the incident stemmed from the “high profile case” of Hansen.

Hansen was convicted of beating 17-year-old Cibola High School student Brittani Marcell in 2008. That westside home assault left her near death.

State correctional facilities hold convicted individuals under monitored custody. State Police officers investigate felony crimes occurring inside state prisons.

Hansen remains incarcerated under his original term in Las Cruces.